Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 848 - 41. Expensive

Chapter 848: 41. Expensive

The Mantis Ghost observed the unconscious man, the sharp scythe limbs emerging from its back, reaching over its shoulder to slice off a piece of the man’s face.

The man’s body trembled in pain and fear, for he had already awoken.

Like picking up a vegetable salad, the Mantis Ghost shoved the meat slice into its mouth, silently chewing, swallowing, the contour sliding down its throat.

"The meat is rancid, 20 Shillings," it said, its voice void of emotion.

"Rancid?"

The attendant was stunned, pulling out a salt jar from his pocket, sprinkling powder that was definitely not salt onto the man’s wound.

Sizzle—

An ominous gray mist drifted from the wailing and miserable middle-aged man’s wound, the excruciating pain and despair eliciting tears.

"We should go."

Katerina said to Lu Li, who was staring at the entrance.

Lu Li didn’t respond, watching the attendant spit in frustration.

"Damn bastard, he’s almost contaminated into an Alien."

The attendant put away the salt jar and shook his head at the Mantis Ghost: "This price is impossible. Going down and back up costs me 6 Shillings, plus I have to give half to the boss."

"Then 26 Shillings," the Mantis Ghost said.

"I can sell him to someone else," the attendant retorted.

The sharp scythe limb, still not retracted into its back, gently stretched, and the Mantis Ghost backed down a little: "30 Shillings."

"No, he weighs nearly 140 pounds," the attendant still refused.

He didn’t seem worried about being pierced by the more than one-meter-long sharp scythe limb.

"This is contaminated meat, worth nothing in the old sewers," the Mantis Ghost said in a steady, unchanged tone.

"I can sell him to the town as a Cleaner; they need those infected near death for ’sanitation.’

But the Mantis Ghost wasn’t easily deceived: "I know your surface rules, Cleaners do not allow coercion."

His lie exposed, the attendant shrugged, not too embarrassed: "Fine. Add a bit more, 40 Shillings. Otherwise, I’d rather spend the extra ticket money to take him back than sell him to you."

"Alright."

The deal was about to be made when a man draped in a cloak, with black hair and eyes, exuding a mysterious and aristocratic aura, walked up to them.

Behind him followed a helpless Katerina.

"You are... the two guests." The attendant quickly recalled who they were.

Lu Li’s image was etched in his memory, and Katerina was nearly as memorable—after all, the 40 Shilling item was what she brought in.

The man being sold as a commodity also recognized them but could only keep his eyes tightly shut, pretending to be unconscious.

"How will you handle him?" Lu Li asked.

"Take him to the slave market and sell him as food if no one buys him before he starves," the Mantis Ghost replied.

Lu Li frowned at the attendant: "He was caught by Katerina, do we have the right to deal with him?"

"He broke the tavern’s rules, you just caught his client," the attendant wouldn’t allow the imminent Shillings to slip away.

"How much will you get if you sell him?" Lu Li asked. "I can buy him."

The man pretending to be unconscious suddenly opened his eyes.

"5... 60 Shillings!"

"40 Shillings," the Mantis Ghost said.

"I need to make a little more," the attendant said indifferently. "Otherwise, what’s the difference between selling to you and it? Or should I sell to it, then you trade with it?"

"If you don’t sell to us, we’ll tell the boss you sold for 60 Shillings," Katerina threatened.

Katerina vaguely guessed what Lu Li intended to do—she couldn’t stop him, she could only lower the price to prevent Lu Li from being extravagant.

"Damn, you can’t do that!" the attendant cursed.

"Sold for 100 Shillings!"

The gang leader hanging koala-like on Lu Li’s back suddenly revealed her head, screaming in agreement.

The attendant looked aghast, unable to understand how the Ghost Town’s real gang leader ended up here.

"Alright, alright, I can sell to you, but transactions in the old sewers are not to be interfered with, you’ll need the merchant’s approval for me to sell to you."

Lu Li looked at the Mantis Ghost, which responded with a blank expression: "If you’re willing to trade with me, I’ll let this transaction go, to make friends."

"It agreed, 40 Shillings."

Katerina emphasized the price, seemingly reminding Lu Li not to overpay, or perhaps feeling the pinch of those 40 Shillings.

Then she saw Lu Li looking at her.

"Give me the money."

Katerina stepped back half a step: "Why should I give it?"

"You took my money."

"But I only took 20 Shillings!" Katerina still felt the pinch.

After selling Strange Currency, Lu Li only had 20 Shillings left.

"I’ll return it to you at Midnight City."

"Five times."

"Okay."

Katerina felt a bit better, pulling out a still-warm stack of Shillings from her chestplate, counting out 40 Shillings, and handing it to the attendant.

"Lucky guy, seems like the noble lord wants to save you," the attendant, misunderstanding the conversation, said to the man no longer feigning unconsciousness, accepting the 40 Shillings before turning back to the Mantis Ghost and receiving some slop payment before returning to the tunnel.

Numerous threads gathered from all directions, lifting the attendant and raising him back to the surface.

"Dagger."

Lu Li took the dagger Katerina handed him and walked to the man’s side to cut the ropes.

Katerina watched from behind, thinking that buying a Hunter for 40 Shillings wasn’t a particularly bad deal.

His face wound charred black, the man lowered his head to express his gratitude: "What do you want me to do... my lord."

"What’s your name?"

"Franksca, my lord."

Lu Li nodded, turning to the Mantis Ghost: "You mentioned a trade earlier, what kind of trade?"

"Any kind of trade."

"Sell tickets back to the surface?"

"Hmm."

"A ticket."

"Ghost Town Station ticket, 5 Shillings."

Without needing Lu Li’s command, Katerina was already pulling out fifteen Shillings to hand to him.

Puxiu squatted by Katerina’s leg, looking up to say, "Our destination is the Midnight City Main Station, we’ll need other tickets there."

Lu Li nodded but still purchased the ticket from the Mantis Ghost.

"Are you planning to return?" Katerina asked in confusion.

Lu Li shook his head, paid the 5 Shillings, and handed the ticket to Franksca: "You can go back now."

Franksca stared dumbly at the ticket that looked like a piece of meat.

"You must be crazy!" Katerina shouted.

"Or take him to Midnight City?" Lu Li countered.

"But we spent 40 Shillings on him... and you’re just letting him go like this?" Katerina thought Lu Li had other purposes for buying him.

"Yes."

Franksca was equally shocked: "My lord, what should I call you?"

"Lu Li."

"Lord Lu Li, you truly wish... to release me?" he asked, testing the waters.

Lu Li nodded.

Franksca remained dazed, unable to grasp the reality of regaining his freedom instead of being sold off as food.

After a long pause, Franksca finally collected himself, staring intently at Lu Li as if to remember him.

"Thank you for your help..."

With the ticket and confusion, Franksca stepped into the tunnel, being lifted by the adhering threads towards the exit.

He kept his eyes on Lu Li until he could see no more.